My best friend is an SF operator and currently in Afghanistan. He emailed me today asking about a way to blue a gun in the field.

Seems a couple unruly cavemen took the wrong angle on diplomacy and had to be shown the error in their ways. so my buddy ended up with a couple AKs. One chinese, one russian. He wants to clean them up a bit.

What would be the best way to do that? I suggested giving them a Krylon camo job but want to be able to offer some other options.

To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!

It's not the best in the world, but the Birchwood-Casey cold blue (either liquid or paste) may be a good idea. I've used the liquid to decent effect, and I'd imagine the paste is about the same. Is your friend trying to restore their looks, or just as a rust inhibitor? Cold blue is easy, but takes a lot of patience to get right/get an even look all over. I don't know how easy it would be to get it/ship it for him, but at least it's not an aerosol can. Good luck.

It is desert like in Kahandahar and Western Afghanistan but it was downright snowy and wet in the North and East parts of the country. Im sure he goes in and out of Bagram and there is actually a "gunshop" downtown there. Yes, I was there in 2002, fairly frightening...AKs in a pile, RPG rounds laying on the floor...Might be able to scare something up there. Otherwise, the paint thing would work.